


Response Team

by HanginWithLilJ (FlyDizzeeD)



Series: Learning to Cope [7]
Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Comfort, Crying, Gen, Non-Sexual Age Play, Panic Attacks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-28
Updated: 2018-12-28
Packaged: 2019-09-29 11:37:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,258
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17202737
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FlyDizzeeD/pseuds/HanginWithLilJ
Summary: Geoff panics and gets help from an unexpected source when his usual safety net isn't available.





	Response Team

This is not supposed to be happening.

He should be relatively calm and going about his business as usual. He should be at least somewhat focused on the screen in front of him. He should not be shaking slightly, and he should not be near tears.

But one thing trumps all; this should not be happening at work.

Geoff takes stuttering breaths as he stares at his computer, not really making sense of any of it. Usually he gets more of a warning before he panics. Time to lessen the blow, time to get help. But he's gotten almost no warning, and there's nobody to help. Jack is in San Diego and Ryan is busy filming something for Josh for the next hour or so. That means Geoff is stuck, by himself, but entirely not alone. Trevor, Jeremy, Alfredo, and Matt are all still here in the room with him. Thankfully the four seem too preoccupied to notice his troubled breathing or see the trembling. He takes off his headphones and sets them on his desk.

He wants Jack and Ryan, but what he wants doesn't matter. That thought is further unsettling. Biting his lip, he looks around the room, figures he needs to get out as fast as possible and just hope the others don't ask where he's off to. Easy.

And it is. Jeremy briefly glances up at him but quickly ignores him again to focus on whatever it is he's doing on his computer. Geoff makes it to the door on wobbly legs.

Once he's in the hall, he's a bit at a lost.

Part of him just wants to go interrupt Ryan and make him take them both home so he can freak out somewhere more private, even if that's just the car. But that's selfish of him, right? He can handle this himself. The mounting panic doesn't even have a reason. It just is. He strongly prefers anxiety attacks; at least those have a cause. A panic attack is just a sudden burst of bullshit ready to knock him on his ass.

“Uh, you okay there, buddy?”

The voice manages to break through the fog shrouding his brain. He blinks a few times before he connects things and knows who he's talking to. Lindsay.

Geoff shakes his head.

“Oh, okay, um,” she seems thrown by the tears, or maybe the shaking, “you wanna take a walk?”

Geoff nods.

“That’s the spirit.”

She gently takes his hand in her own, grounding herself enough to smile at him like everything's okay as she leads him down the hall. He tries to believe it. Wants to believe it almost as much as he wants--

“Ryan.”

Geoff's voice is small and strained, an obvious plea. It's selfish. He doesn't care. His head is filled with bees and the tears are falling faster. They're at work. Anyone could walk out and see his meltdown. That makes it a lot worse, makes the feelings devolve. He doesn't want to feel how he feels, but he can't stop it. He doesn't want anyone to see him like this, but he can't stop that either, and it's making the whole thing worse to begin with. It's a vicious cycle that makes him hold Lindsay's hand tighter.

“Ryan's busy, pal. But you can hang out with me, and I'll let him know you want him as soon as he's done. Is that okay?”

No.

“Y-yeah.”

It's the best he's going to get. He hugs himself with his free arm in an attempt at self-comfort.

“Alright!” Her voice is cheery. She's trying to make him feel better. It's not working the best, but just the fact that she's trying is a solid source of comfort. “Let's go somewhere more private, and I can show you this new game I got on my phone. It's about cats.”

He just barely cracks a smile. Nods. Follows her, watching the floor, flinching at loud noises and slowly moving into her personal space. He's not quite sure where they're going. Lindsay doesn't have a private office anymore, and neither does he. But he trusts the woman to lead him somewhere safe. Just until he can have Ryan. Fuck, he needs Ryan.

His heart is racing. The paranoia has edged off, but he's still freaked out. He's still crying as well, face messy and chest tight. He's too caught up with himself to notice where they're going until they get there. Even then, it's another voice that breaks him out of himself.

“Oh, hey guys, how can I-- holy shit, Geoff?”

Burnie.

A good voice.

He looks up and locks eyes with the man. He can only imagine how odd this must look. A grown man clinging to his co-worker while he shakes and cries, unable to mold together real sentences.

“Hey Burnie.” Lindsay says, aiming for casual. “Can we come in?”

“Uh, sure. Do I need to call 911?” He asks as the two walk in, shutting the door behind them.

Lindsay shakes her head no and guides Geoff over to the small sofa against the wall in Burnie's office, a rarely used piece of furniture. She sits with him, has to pry her hand out of his grip to wrap it around his shoulders instead and pull him close. He soaks up the contact, using her much calmer presence to try to ground himself.

“Is he okay?”

“I don't know. I found him standing in the hallway alone, crying and looking like a lost puppy. He said he wants Ryan.”

Burnie clicks his tongue. “But Ryan's filming today.”

“Yeah. I couldn't think of anywhere else private to take him, so here we are.”

Being talked about feels weird. Not bad though, because it means he doesn't have to talk. Geoff leans into Lindsay instead, sniffling. But his luck seems to run out, because Burnie is looking at him, addressing him directly.

“Hey, man. Did something happen in the office?”

“No.”

“At home?”

“No.”

Burnie frowns.

“Then what's up?”

He shakes his head. Nothing is up. His brain is just stupid. Geoff doesn't have the patience or care to communicate that, though, so he just turns away and shoves his face in Lindsay's shoulder in an attempt to hide from the questioning. He can hear Burnie's sigh.

“We can't help you if you don't talk to us.”

Lindsay agrees, adds; “And we want to help. You're our friend, Geoff.”

That sends another full body shake through his frame. It's too much. He's coming down from the sheer panic and settling into overstimulation territory. Talking is a tall order, and it's not one he's sure he can fulfill, but he gives it a shot.

His voice is muffled by Lindsay's shirt.

“What was that, bud? We can't hear you with your face hidden.” The older man's words are gentle. Coaxing.

Geoff turns his head just enough to be less muffled.

“Panic. Doesn't have a reason. Ryan.”

Short and sweet, and all he can manage. Thankfully, Lindsay seems to understand.

“Oh. Like a panic attack?”

A nod.

“I've had those. They suck. Is there anything we can do to help?”

“Ryan.”

She sighs.

“That's what I thought. He's filming, buddy.”

“Not anymore he's not.”

They both look at Burnie, who's putting his phone away. He winks at them.

“Told him to get his ass here pronto. I care a lot more about you than some video.” He explains, and sits with them on the sofa.

It's a tight fit, but having people on either side is a massive weight off of Geoff's chest. He feels secure. He leans back into the softness behind him. Something touches his face, which makes him jump. Burnie apologizes as he uses tissues from the box on his desk to gently wipe Geoff's face dry. Once it's over, Geoff is greeted by a different touch; something being placed in his hands. He looks down to see it's a phone. Lindsay's phone. It has a cat game open. Of course. He lets himself get lost in it, still sniffling occasionally and refusing to fully relax. The two on either side of him quietly talk over his head, but he doesn't care. He doesn't care about much of anything until there's a knock at the door.

He goes stock still while Burnie gets up. Doesn't look away from the phone until the door is open and he hears Ryan's voice. At that, he nearly gives himself whiplash in how quickly he whirls around. Ryan. Standing in the doorframe, looking ten shades of surprised at Geoff's messy, post-cry state.

The whimper that leaves his throat is loud, broken, and unintentional.

But it has Ryan crossing the room in a flash to kneel in front of him. The younger man gently takes Geoff's chin in his hand and looks him over. He seems to be surveying the other man from top to bottom, the worry pouring off of him in waves. Geoff drops the phone in his lap and reaches out for him. He's rewarded with a sudden and tight hug, Ryan surging forward to envelop him in the embrace. The two cling to one another.

“Is he hurt?” Ryan asks the room at large. Lindsay answers.

“He had a panic attack in the hallway.”

Ryan hums and moves to take Burnie's previous spot on the couch, but he goes a step further in pulling Geoff onto his lap to hug him closer.

“It's okay, Geoff.” He comforts, because the man is shaking again.

Burnie clears his throat.

“Is he gonna be okay?”

“Yeah. He just needs to reset, so I’m gonna go ahead and take him home. Thank you guys so much for helping him and letting me know.”

Lindsay shrugs. “He's Geoff, which means he's family. Plus I don't think I could ever say no to those sad puppy eyes.”

He chuckles.

“You now know my struggle.”

“Does this happen a lot?”

The question makes Ryan lose the smile. Burnie's question is more than fair, and he knows it's rooted in a deep concern for his long-time friend, but he doesn't know how much Geoff is okay with others knowing. And the boy currently curled up in a ball on his lap, still shaking on occasion, is in no state to be making these kinds of decisions. Ryan bites his lip, thinking it over. When he finally answers, the room having gone uncomfortably silent, he's cautious. Contained.

“Sometimes. Usually he goes to me or Jack, but I guess he didn't really know what to do since neither of us were available.”

“So he just wandered off?”

“It seems so, yes.”

“That's not okay, Ryan. Lindsay said he could barely hold himself together enough to walk.”

His tone makes Ryan bristle.

“I've got this, Burnie. Jack and I usually--”

“But you didn't this time. And my friend could've… I don't know. He could've gotten hurt. Or tried to drive, or passed out, or…” Burnie pinches his nose before running his hand over his face in frustration. “I get that you're close. But Geoff is… he's special, to me. Like Lindsay said: he's family. If there's anything I can do, just, just let me know? Let him know? That he can come here. To me, too.”

For a man thrown totally out of his element, Burnie is picture perfect determination. He doesn't care about the details right now, not when the big picture is his freaked out friend who was inconsolable just a short time ago. It's clear that making sure Geoff doesn't end up that lost and having to rely on the luck of someone he trusts showing up to help him is something Burnie will go to great lengths to prevent from happening again. They got lucky this time. He doesn't like betting on luck.

Ryan watches him. Really watches. The stubborn set of his jaw, at odds with the blatant worry etching over the rest of his face. He's dived head first into all kinds of terrifying waters with Geoff. It must be natural for him to be so blatantly bold when facing yet another new territory.

“I'll let him know.”

“Thank you.”

“Nah. Thank you guys. I wouldn't have even known what happened if it weren't for the two of you.”

Geoff whines, his grip on Ryan tightening. Lindsay chuckles a bit.

“Hey, no problem, man. I've had panic attacks, I know they can feel like you're dying. Nobody should have to feel that way; shit sucks. Take good care of him, Haywood.”

“Yes, ma'am.”

Standing is a slight struggle, but they manage. Pulling Geoff off of him and convincing him he needs to walk instead of clinging to him like a baby monkey is a much more complex challenge, but he manages that, too. Albeit with plenty of whining and confused looks.

The other two both give Geoff a hug before they leave. Burnie's lingers, topped off with a kiss pressed into Geoff's hair and a murmur of “See ya later, buddy.”

As Ryan leads Geoff out of the building and to the car to drive them home, he thinks about how lucky he is to be where he is, to have the people he has, and to be constantly sure that whenever there's a falling out, whenever shit goes wrong, there's someone there to help. Sometimes two people, confused but determined nonetheless. He glances over to see Geoff is already crashing, well on his way to sleep in the passenger seat of the car.

He drives on, pondering the importance of trust.


End file.
